What are the symptoms?

• Difficulty closing your eyelid one side of your face, or your mouth drooping on that side
• Irritation of one eye, such as dryness or increased tear production
• Earache or pain underneath the ear on the affected side of the face
• A change to your sense of taste
• Increased sensitivity to sound in one ear
• Drooling from your mouth on one side
• A dry mouth
• Pain around the jaw
• A headache
• Ringing in one or both ears
• Dizziness
• Difficulty eating or drinking
• Impaired speech

The NHS advises that if you experience facial weakness or paralysis it can indicate a more serious condition, such as a stroke – so call 999 or visit your nearest A&E department immediately.

Why did Angelina Jolie get Bell's palsy?

The actress hinted in an interview with Vanity Fair that the illness may have been brought on by her struggles with Brad, 53, who she split from last year.

She said: “Sometimes women in families put themselves last until it manifests itself in their health.”